15 Great Scholarships for College Freshmen

scholarships for freshmans in college

Trying to find a reliable list of today’s best scholarships for college freshmen, all in one place, is not always an easy or sure task. Much of the scholarship information out there is scattered and even inaccurate at times. In the spirit of providing that invaluable, all-in-one information resource for freshmen scholarship-seekers, our team has done the research and compiled a list of the top opportunities for this exact student group. The following 15-opportunity list represents some of the very best scholarships for college freshmen right now.

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1. JBF Scholarship

Eligibility

– Show a high level of general and academic merit.

The James Beard Foundation is all about societal improvement through the culinary arts, and each year, this organization offers numerous grants, scholarships, and other student-aiding programs. The organization’s scholarships come by way of complete tuition waivers. Many such scholarships are awarded each year, and millions have been paid in student’s names by the organization since it started these programs in 1991.

Scholarship Website

2. The HACU Scholarship Program

Eligibility

– Demonstrate financial need if required by scholarship sponsor (typically determined by FAFSA).

– Students must currently attend a HACU-member college or university in the US or Puerto Rico at the time applications are completed and scholarship awards are made.

– Scholarships are only for enrolled college students. All students must have completed their first semester of freshman year at the time of applying.

The HACU Scholarship Program is provided by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and offers students valuable tuition coverage via numerous, big-name sponsors. Students must be enrolled freshmen to be considered. All award decisions are finalized in July with winners being notified immediately thereafter.

Scholarship Website

3. Leaders Save Lives Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be a college student.

– Host a community blood-draw event.

The American Red Cross, renowned worldwide for its lifesaving work, offers yet another helpful perk to the global community – the Leaders Save Lives Scholarship. This opportunity is available to all college students willing to sponsor a community blood-draw event. Once the event is completed, the sponsoring student will be entered into a drawing with other sponsoring students for a chance to win a scholarship. Additionally, experience hours are gained as well as gift cards given out based on the amount of blood collected at the event.

Scholarship Website

4. Larry F. Ball Memorial Scholarship

Eligibility

– Must be a female who is an Ohio resident.

– Must be enrolled in a four-year US-accredited university/college.

– Must have graduated from high school with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

– Must be able to demonstrate service within the community in some way and is committed to community service in the future.

– Must be a US citizen.

Charity Smith is an online non-profit focused on managing and facilitating memorial funds. The Larry F. Ball Memorial Scholarship is one such fund facilitated by the organization in which female Ohio residents can win considerable tuition coverage. This one is ultimately sponsored by the family of Larry F. Ball, a past Ohio State Buckeye and beloved family-man and professional.

Scholarship Website

5. Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be an enrolled college student or high school senior who is accepted at a college or university.

– Demonstrate leadership and considerable community involvement.

The National Aids Memorial is an organization set up around the global fight against AIDS and HIV. The organization’s Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship is one mode of spreading that mission. Here, scholarship winners receive tuition and expense coverage, while numerous applicants actually win awards each year. Winners are decided and announced every August.

Scholarship Website

6. TCF General Scholarship

Eligibility

– CIRI original enrollee or direct lineal descendant.

– Must have a high school diploma or GED.

– Must be attending an accredited college institution.

– Have a 2.5 cumulative grade point average or higher.

The CIRI Foundation is an initiative of the Cook Inlet Region of Alaska that strives to maintain education and culture in that region as well as the rest of the globe. The organization offers multiple scholarships and grant opportunities each year with the TCF General Scholarship being among the most popular. With this scholarship, winners can receive a hearty $6,000 award per academic year.

Scholarship Website

7. Christa McAuliffe Teacher Incentive Program

Eligibility

– Legal residents of Delaware.

– US citizens or eligible non-citizens.

– Full-time students enrolled at a Delaware college in an undergraduate program leading to teacher certification.

– High school seniors must have an unweighted cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and a combined score of 1010 on the SAT.

– Preference is given to applicants planning to teach in a critical need area as defined by the Delaware Department of Education.

The State of Deleware itself offers a valuable scholarship option by way of the Christa McAuliffe Teacher Incentive Program. This scholarship offers students working toward becoming teachers a $5,000 yearly tuition award. As the state faces a critical teaching shortage issue, this is one incentive aimed at helping to curb the problem.

Scholarship Website

You may also like: 35 Great Scholarships for High School Seniors

8. Ira Mitzner Memorial Scholarship

Eligibility

– Be any currently enrolled undergraduate student attending a four-year college or university who is also a competitive boxer for a United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association member club or a high school senior accepted to a four-year college or university who will be a competitive boxer in the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association Championships and start a member club.

– Financial need, GPA, and demonstrated commitment are also considered.

The US Intercollegiate Boxing Association honors Ira Mitzner, a past boxing great, with the Ira Mitzner Memorial Scholarship. This funding opportunity offers current and future boxing members a $10,000 tuition payment toward their educational endeavors, whatever those may be. May 1 is the application submission deadline, while Ira Mitzner’s birthday, July 24, is fittingly designated as the annual day of winner announcements.

Scholarship Website

9. NES Scholarship

Eligibility

– Must be an incoming freshman to a New England college or university (in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).

– Must live in one of the five boroughs of New York City.

– Must demonstrate financial need.

The New England Society in the City of New York, or NES, is a major philanthropic force in the US, and the organization’s NES Scholarship is a great way for students in need to get up to $25,000 each, all the way through a bachelor’s degree program. A special scholarship committee handles the award decisions here with awards being announced in August. Over 100 students have benefited from this organization’s weighty scholarship awards to date.

Scholarship Website

10. Vincent Bennett, Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Eligibility

-Candidate must be a child of a first responder.

– Candidates must be pursuing their first bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or certificate at any accredited college, university, or technical/vocational institution in the United States that participates in the federal financial aid programs offered through the U.S. Department of Education.

– Candidate must be enrolled as a full-time student during the entire academic year.

– Candidate must maintain a 2.7 out of a 4.0-grade point average, or the equivalent as documented by the Office of the Registrar at the academic institution.

– Candidate must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States attending school in the United States.

The Vincent Bennett, Jr. Memorial Scholarship is provided by the First Responders Children’s Foundation. This scholarship offers a $5,000 per year tuition award for up to four years of school for a total of $20,000 in benefit. It is also named in honor of Vincent Bennett, Jr., a major supporter of the FRCF and very active contributor across the general community.

Scholarship Website

11. First Responders Children’s Scholarship

Eligibility

-Candidate must be a child of a first responder.

– Candidates must be pursuing their first bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or certificate at any accredited college, university, or technical/vocational institution in the United States that participates in the federal financial aid programs offered through the U.S. Department of Education.

– Candidate must be enrolled as a full-time student during the entire academic year.

– Candidate must maintain a 2.7 out of a 4.0-grade point average, or the equivalent as documented by the Office of the Registrar at the academic institution.

– Candidate must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States attending school in the United States.

Description

The First Responders Children’s Foundation, also mentioned at number-10 on this list, provides additional scholarship help to the children of first responders via its First Responders Children’s Scholarship. This one provides a yearly-renewable tuition award of $6,250. Renewal is dependent on continued financial need and good academic standing.

Scholarship Website

12. The John Galt Scholarship for Future Supply Chain Leaders

Eligibility

– Demonstrate a history of personal dedication and a desire to work in supply chain management.

– Demonstrate financial need.

The John Galt Scholarship for Future Supply Chain Leaders is a great funding option offered by John Galt, a world-recognized supply chain management firm. $10,000 is the total value of this scholarship. December marks the application deadline, and winners are announced in January each year.

Scholarship Website

13. Skylands Energy Scholarship

Eligibility

– The applicants must be enrolled in an accredited 4-year undergraduate program at a university or college located in the United States or a 2-year technical trade school.

– Applicants should have an interest in environmental science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or construction management.

– Applicants must be New Jersey residents.

Skylands Energy Service is a home fuel delivery, HVAC, and plumbing company out of central New Jersey. Unlike many others of its kind, this trade contractor actually offers a great scholarship opportunity by way of its Skylands Energy Scholarship. Winners of this great funding opportunity receive $2,500 per year as long as they stay in good academic standing at an accredited college or trade school in the US.

Scholarship Website

14. TWA Scholarship

Eligibility

– Must demonstrate leadership skills and a focus on wildlife and resource conservation.

– Must be a citizen of the United States.

– Must be a Texas high school graduate enrolling in a Texas college within 1 year of high school graduation.

– Must attend an accredited Texas college or university; no online degree programs.

– Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 per semester on a 4.0 scale each semester (not cumulative) of each academic year to remain eligible.

– Must take a minimum of 12 hours per semester.

The Texas Wildlife Association is a private organization dedicated to the preservation and respectful enjoyment of natural habitats across the state of Texas. Added to its list of good-doings, the organization also gives out valuable scholarships to numerous, conservation-minded students every year. For 12 years this annual scholarship has been offered, with over $600,000 in total funds given.

Scholarship Website

15. Matrix Healthgroup Memorial Scholarship Program

Eligibility

– Must be diagnosed with a bleeding disorder.

– Must be a US citizen.

– Must at least be accepted full-time to an accredited college or trade school in the US.

– Must have at least a 2.0 GPA.

Matrix Healthgroup is a collective of medical firms that, outside of typical business associations, also works together to sponsor a scholarship to the tune of $1,000 for nine, annual scholarship winners. This fund is set up in memory of numerous people who have greatly influenced the blood disorder study field in the past. It is also aimed at helping that particular student who may be suffering from any of today’s known bleeding disorders.

Scholarship Website

See more scholarships here.

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